Photovoltaic Local Energy Communities—Design of New Energy Exchange Modalities—Case Study: Tolosa

Abstract

Energy communities (ECs) can become a potential alternative to promote the fight against climate change. Technological progress and price reductions in recent years have made renewable energy-generation systems increasingly affordable and have generated economic benefits by reducing the value of electricity bills for community members, as well as reducing the growing environmental impact. In this context, the authors have taken Tolosa as a case study and conducted a technical and economic analysis of different possible structures of ECs (physical, virtual, with or without storage, participants with different types of consumption, etc.) by comparing them with each other. The generation capacity of the community and the optimal energy-management algorithms have been illustrated, from which the economic benefits for each member are extracted. A dynamic distribution factor is established as the basis of the algorithms, making the benefits fairer. The results obtained from this work, in addition to illustrating the economic benefits that each type of participant can receive, help to define the most appropriate community structure for each participant while highlighting the social and climate benefits that ECs can provide.